School Recommendations

[sanssuck]

Hi SDN,
I'm here to ask for some suggestions on what additional schools I should consider applying to. Here's my profile.

Age: 18
Year: Spring semester of Junior year (c/o 2014)
Texas Resident
cGPA: 3.95
sGPA: 4.0
MCAT: 33Q 10>per section, only attempt

ECs:
-150+ hours clinical experience (and shadowing) at a family clinic that specializes in cardiology and neurology (edited for clarification)
-Founded (with some friends) a non-profit organization with 501c3 status that has placed or won first place in multiple competitions and awards (DEC, DSIC, NVCC). Don't know if prize values are relevant. Focus is on free tutoring on an online platform and promoting volunteerism. Active for almost 2 years.
-One year of volunteering with an org. that raises money for children with cleft lip to get surgery, as well as hanging out with orphan and adopted children on certain dates.

My concerns mostly lie on the strength of my LoR. I plan on getting the typical 2 science, 1 non-science, 1 advisor recs but I'm not sure if they will be exceptional because I haven't had much contact with the professors at my current school.


I already plan to apply to many Texas schools:
Baylor, UTSW, UTMB, UTSA, UTH, etc.

I just want SDN's opinion on any OOS schools that I have a decent shot at making (low-mid tiers)? Or even any top 20s (although I doubt it with my MCAT score)? Thanks guys.

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[TwinsFan]

Your age, lack of clinical experience and possibly weak LORs will be a problem. Few people under 20 are admitted and these weakness will not help. I would wait a year, get some clinical experience, and shore up your ECs and LORs to maximize your chances.

 

[hizziaips]

your age, lack of clinical experience and possibly weak lors will be a problem. Few people under 20 are admitted and these weakness will not help. I would wait a year, get some clinical experience, and shore up your ecs and lors to maximize your chances.

+1

 

[sanssuck]

Thanks for your advice.

Just to clarify (please correct me if I'm incorrect in anyway):
Shadowing refers to simply following the doctor, excluding much patient contact. Mostly short-term stuff I assume.
Clinical experience would refer to working in a hospital/clinic as a volunteer and doing administrative work or taking part in basic procedures like taking the Ht/BP/respiration rate, as well as procedures that the physician allows you to take part in.

I think I might have misled people in my first post by saying that I spent 150+ hours only shadowing. I worked in their clinic ultimately as a volunteer. I helped room patients, take their basic info (BP/Wt/Ht/etc), and sometimes even helped the doctors with procedures like EEGs and EKGs (with their supervision and instruction). I initially took a more passive role in shadowing when I first arrived at the clinic, but when I learned enough, I became more active in the clinic. I also helped with a lot of the administrative work, like filling out patient assessments on their online system as well as faxing prescriptions and verifying insurance. If there is a better definition of clinical experience that I didn't fulfill, I would really appreciate it if you could define it for me and lead me in the right direction to getting more clinical experience.

Also I was under the impression that a high percentage of 20 and unders were matriculated from the applicant pool (at least for TMDSAS). At least according to :http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/Final Statistics Report-EY11-Medical.pdf

But I will definitely think about taking a year to further improve my application or possibly retake the MCAT.

 

[penguinism]

Thanks for your advice.

Just to clarify (please correct me if I'm incorrect in anyway):
Shadowing refers to simply following the doctor, excluding much patient contact. Mostly short-term stuff I assume.
Clinical experience would refer to working in a hospital/clinic as a volunteer and doing administrative work or taking part in basic procedures like taking the Ht/BP/respiration rate, as well as procedures that the physician allows you to take part in.

I think I might have misled people in my first post by saying that I spent 150+ hours only shadowing. I worked in their clinic ultimately as a volunteer. I helped room patients, take their basic info (BP/Wt/Ht/etc), and sometimes even helped the doctors with procedures like EEGs and EKGs (with their supervision and instruction). I initially took a more passive role in shadowing when I first arrived at the clinic, but when I learned enough, I became more active in the clinic. I also helped with a lot of the administrative work, like filling out patient assessments on their online system as well as faxing prescriptions and verifying insurance. If there is a better definition of clinical experience that I didn't fulfill, I would really appreciate it if you could define it for me and lead me in the right direction to getting more clinical experience.

Also I was under the impression that a high percentage of 20 and unders were matriculated from the applicant pool (at least for TMDSAS). At least according to :http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/Final Statistics Report-EY11-Medical.pdf

But I will definitely think about taking a year to further improve my application or possibly retake the MCAT.

No need to retake the MCAT. Your stats are still somewhat competitive for top 20 schooIs, but a lack of research will hold you back significantly since most of the top schools have a heavy research focus.

 

[sanssuck]

Thanks penguinism, I appreciate your advice. So does anyone have any stats about under 20s applying? I just want to accurately scope out my chances if being sub-average age wise is significant.

 

[Aerus]

Thanks penguinism, I appreciate your advice. So does anyone have any stats about under 20s applying? I just want to accurately scope out my chances if being sub-average age wise is significant.

I've heard of people getting in under 20 but they are a minority. I don't have any statistics, but I can't imagine your young age being beneficial to you in any way.

If I were in your shoes, I would finish my degree, then take a few years off to develop my EC's, explore other interests (besides school), and enjoy life. Focusing on school at such a young age, I would imagine you haven't had much time to enjoy life as a regular teenager. LIVE a bit. Actually, having a few years off without school is perfect for starting any long term commitments, like Teach For America and Peace Corps. Even if you don't want to do those, find SOMETHING you couldn't do while a student.

Once you have a few years of EC's, I'd imagine you would be an incredibly strong applicant that would be competitive for many top programs.

 

[penguinism]

I've heard of people getting in under 20 but they are a minority. I don't have any statistics, but I can't imagine your young age being beneficial to you in any way.

If I were in your shoes, I would finish my degree, then take a few years off to develop my EC's, explore other interests (besides school), and enjoy life. Focusing on school at such a young age, I would imagine you haven't had much time to enjoy life as a regular teenager. LIVE a bit. Actually, having a few years off without school is perfect for starting any long term commitments, like Teach For America and Peace Corps. Even if you don't want to do those, find SOMETHING you couldn't do while a student.

Once you have a few years of EC's, I'd imagine you would be an incredibly strong applicant that would be competitive for many top programs.

I have to agree here. Age shouldn't make a difference, but sometimes it does. There aren't too many <20 applicants, but you might be able to find some statistics floating around somewhere. However, I will caution you that entering medical school before you turn 21 might be a bit frustrating. At least in my class, people spent the first few weeks (and mostly every weekend thereafter) at the bars.

You're young - you should give yourself a year to just do whatever! Gain some life experience, travel the world, and build up your ECs even more.

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks penguinism, I appreciate your advice. So does anyone have any stats about under 20s applying? I just want to accurately scope out my chances if being sub-average age wise is significant.

Imagine trying to teach a very young person to obtain a pap smear or perform a digital rectal exam... One must display extraordinary maturity to overcome the reasonable reservations of the committee.